Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Paris immeuble walls are plastered with a multitude of plaques commemorating where this illustrious author lived or that famous painter spent his final days. Living history. Fabulous.

Then there are these plaques, sober souvenirs dedicated to the mostly anonymous or unknown Resistance fighters who died for their patrie during the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Each plaque has a little ring at the bottom. This is to hold a bouquet of flowers placed there on various State holidays in tribute to these heroes of modern France. They are honored and remembered, with flowers and a ceremony, many times in the year.

This plaque, near the Ecole Militaire, is for a man who was 40 years old when he died for his country.